Software User Agreement, Terms, and Conditions
This Software User Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of the date that SolBid provides Company access to it’s
software Platform, (the “Effective Date”) by and between SolBid, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (“SolBid”) and the
company using the software ("Company”). Each may be referred to as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”.
Recitals
- SolBid promotes, markets, sells, and provides ancillary services for commercial and
industrial renewable energy projects, including, but not limited to, photovoltaic
solar energy systems, inclusive of photovoltaic system design, electrical engineering,
structural engineering, and procurement of PV system equipment (“Services”).
Some of the Services are provided via an online service using proprietary software (“Platform”).
The Platform consists of websites and software used for project design, estimating, proforma generation, and tracking.
- The Company wants to use the Platform to generate renewable energy project designs, estimates,
and proformas for SolBid’s Services with the intention of either purchasing SolBid’s Services
directly or selling SolBid’s services to the Company’s customers.
Intending to be legally bound on the Effective Date, SolBid and Company therefore agree as follows.
Terms and Conditions
The Recitals, all exhibits, and the Platform terms of service available at www.solbid.com are incorporated into, and made
part of, this Agreement by reference.
- License to Use the Platform
- Grant of License.
During the term of this Agreement, SolBid grants the Company the non-exclusive,
non-transferable, and not sub-licensable license to use the Platform, limited to
Company’s internal use. Such license includes the right to use manuals, handbooks,
and guides relating to the Platform provided by SolBid to Company, either electronically
or in hard copy form, or as available at www.solbid.com (collectively, the “Documentation”).
- User Restrictions.
Company shall not use the Platform for any purposes beyond uses stated in this Agreement, Company
shall not at any time, directly or indirectly, and shall not permit any user to:
- copy, modify, or create derivative works of the Platform or
Documentation, in whole or in part;
- rent, lease, lend, sell, license, sublicense, assign,
distribute, publish, transfer, or otherwise make
available the Platform or Documentation;
- reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, decode, adapt, or
otherwise attempt to derive or gain
access to any software component of the Platform, in whole or in part;
- remove any proprietary notices from the Platform or
Documentation; or
- use the Platform or Documentation in any manner or for any
purpose that infringes,
misappropriates, or otherwise violates any intellectual property right or other
right of any person,
or that violates any applicable law.
- Reservation of Rights.
SolBid reserves all rights not expressly granted to the Company in this Agreement.
Except for the limited rights and licenses expressly granted under this Agreement,
nothing in this Agreement grants, by implication, waiver, estoppel, or otherwise,
to Company or any third party any intellectual property rights or other right, title,
or interest in, or to, the Platform and all intellectual property associated with the
Services and Platform.
- Company Responsibilities.
- Company is responsible and liable for all uses of the Platform
and Documentation resulting from access provided by SolBid, directly or indirectly,
whether such access or use is permitted by or in violation of this Agreement.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Company is responsible for all
acts and omissions of its employees, contractors, or agents, and any act or omission
by them that would constitute a breach of this Agreement if taken by Company.
Company shall use reasonable efforts to make all users of the Platform aware of
this Agreement's provisions and shall cause its users to comply with such provisions.
- Company Control and Responsibility.
Company has and will retain sole responsibility for:
- its information, data, and other content, in any form or medium,
including data that is collected, downloaded, or otherwise received, directly or
indirectly, from the Company via the Services, or the Platform, or that incorporates
or is derived from the processing of such information, data, or content by or through
the Services, including its content and use;
- its information technology infrastructure, including
computers, software, databases, electronic
systems (including database management systems), and networks, whether operated
directly by
Company or through the use of third-party
- its security and use of the Services and the Platform.
- Service and System Control.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, as between the Parties:
- SolBid has and will retain sole control over the operation,
provision, maintenance, and
management of the Services and Platform; and
- Company has and will retain sole control over the operation,
maintenance, and management of, and all access to and use of, the information
technology infrastructure, including computers, software, hardware, databases,
electronic systems (including database management systems), and networks,
whether operated directly by Company or through the use of third-party services,
and sole responsibility for all access to and use of the Services and Platform
by Company and any person using the Services or Platform under the license granted
by this Agreement, including any:
- information, instructions, or materials provided by any of
them to the Services or
Platform;
- results obtained from any use of the Services or Platform;
and
- conclusions, decisions, or actions based on such use.
- Changes.
SolBid reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to make any changes to the Services and Platform that it
deems necessary or useful to maintain or enhance:
- the quality or delivery of SolBid's services to Company; or
- the competitive strength of, or market for, the Services and
the Platform; or
- the Services or Platform’s cost efficiency or performance;
or
- to comply with applicable Law.
- Suspension or Termination of Services.
SolBid may, directly or indirectly, and by use of any other means, suspend, terminate,
or otherwise deny the Company's, any authorized user's, or any other person's access to
or use of all or any part of the Services or Platform, without incurring any resulting
obligation or liability, if:
- SolBid receives a judicial or other governmental demand or
order, subpoena, or law enforcement
request that expressly or by reasonable implication requires SolBid to do so; or
- SolBid believes, in its sole discretion, that:
- Company has failed to comply with any term of this
Agreement, or accessed or used the
Services or Platform beyond the scope of the rights granted under, or a
purpose not
authorized under, or in a manner that does not conform to this, Agreement;
- has been, or is likely to be involved in any fraudulent,
misleading, or unlawful activities or
- this Agreement expires or is terminated.
- No Warranty.
- The Services, Platform, Documentation, and all related intellectual property are
provided as-is and without any guarantee of any level of service. SolBid makes no
representations or warranties and to the maximum extent permitted by law disclaims
any implied warranties, such as merchantability or suitability for a particular purpose.
- SolBid will use commercially reasonable efforts to make the
Platform available, but is under no obligation to maintain any standard of service
related to the Platform, or its usability, or availability.
- Trademark Use
- SolBid grants Company a non-exclusive, non-transferable, and non-sublicensable
license, to use all SolBid trademarks for promotion and advertisement, but for no other purpose.
On expiration, or earlier termination, of this Agreement, Company shall promptly discontinue
all future use of all SolBid trademarks.
- Company grants SolBid a non-exclusive, non-transferable, and non-sublicensable
license to use the Company’s name and logo within its Platform and website, but for no other purpose.
The Company acknowledges that SolBid is authorized to obtain a copy of the Company’s logo either directly
or indirectly at the time of account creation setup, including during the trial period. On expiration,
or earlier termination, of this Agreement, SolBid shall promptly discontinue all use of Company trademarks.
- Expenses
Each Party shall pay its own expenses related to its performance of its obligations, and related work, under this
Agreement.
- Software Limited Use Trial
SolBid can grant, at its discretion, a limited use free trial to the Company. During this period, access to certain software features may be restricted and the duration of this trial period is up to the sole discretion of SolBid. During the trial period, the Company:
- is under no obligation to pay SolBid compensation for use of the Platform and is excluded from the terms and conditions set forth in Section 5;
- is excluded from the terms and conditions set forth in Section 2;
- is excluded from the terms and conditions set forth in Section 6;
- shall adhere to the terms and conditions of this agreement in its entirety, except for those terms excluded per this section.
- SolBid Subscription Fee for use
In return for the full-featured use of the Platform and Documentation, Company
shall pay SolBid the subscription Fees as provided by SolBid to the Company, otherwise Company Platform access can be restricted.
-
SolBid Services Right of First Negotiation
-
SolBid pre-construction Services are mutually inclusive with respect to the Company’s utilization of the Platform and are an integral part of SolBid’s compensation. SolBid Services are packaged together to provide an end-to-end renewable energy project analysis and deployment solution, including:
- Renewable Energy Project administrative services;
- photovoltaic system design services;
- electrical engineering services;
- utility interconnection application submittal and tracking services;
- construction request for bid management;
- structural and/or civil engineering services; and
- PV system equipment (Photovoltaic modules, electrical inverters, mounting system, and monitoring data acquisition system)
-
If the Company uses the Platform to generate a renewable energy project proforma and then decides to proceed with a renewable energy project in a similar form or function for the specific location as created within the Platform, the Company agrees to grant SolBid the Right of First Negotiation and Last Refusal.
- Company shall promptly notify SolBid electronically through the Platform or via email of the intent to proceed with a renewable energy project and give SolBid the right of first negotiation followed by the right of last refusal to supply the services. The right of first negotiation shall begin on the date that Company notifies SolBid and continue for fifteen (15) days, during which SolBid and Company shall negotiate with each other for the supply of the Services (“ROFN Period”). At the end of the ROFN period, the Company may begin negotiations with third parties for supply of the Services. If within one hundred twenty (120) days of the end of the ROLR Period (“ROLR Period”), Company receives any bona fide offers for supply of the Services, it shall promptly notify SolBid of the material terms of the offer. If within fifteen (15) days of that notice, SolBid offers to supply the Services on the same material terms, Company shall accept that offer. Company shall notify SolBid of all such offers it receives during the ROLR Period.
- Both the ROFR and ROLR periods can be extended upon written mutual agreement from both parties.
-
If the Company and SolBid agree to proceed with Renewable Energy Project(s) together, SolBid and the Company shall establish a Master Services Agreement (MSA) or individual project Purchase and Services Agreement (PSA) with its own set of terms and conditions for project delivery.
-
No Obligation to Agree
The execution of an agreement to purchase the Services from SolBid is at Company’s sole discretion. The Company’s use of the Platform to generate a design or proforma for a commercial and industrial renewable energy project at a specific location does not bind the Company to the
purchase of the Services.
- Data Privacy
SolBid is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our customers' data.
SolBid collects and processes customer data solely for the purpose of providing our
services and improving our products. SolBid does not sell or share customer data with
third parties for marketing purposes. SolBid implements appropriate technical and
organizational measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability
of customer data. We also take steps to ensure that our employees and contractors
who have access to customer data are trained on data privacy and security best practices.
- Aggregated Statistics.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, SolBid may monitor Company's use of the
Platform and collect and compile data and information related to Company's use of the Platform in an
aggregate and anonymized manner, including to compile statistical and performance information related
to the provision and operation of the Platform (“Aggregated Statistics” All rights, title, and interest in
Aggregated Statistics, and all related intellectual property rights belong to and are retained solely by
SolBid. Company acknowledges that SolBid may compile Aggregated Statistics based on Company data
input into the Platform. Company agrees that SolBid may:
- make Aggregated Statistics publicly available in compliance
with applicable law, and
- use Aggregated Statistics to the extent and in the manner
permitted under applicable law.
- SolBid Provided Data
-
All data provided to the Company from SolBid, whether
generated by our platform or provided by any other means, shall not be
provided to any third party, including, but not limited to, renewable
energy component manufacturers, distributors, developers, consultants,
EPC’s, sales organizations, Etc. Unless that party is a Company contracted
financial consultant, legal consultant, or accountant. This includes renewable
energy project:
- System designs, images, or layouts;
- Equipment or component selections;
- Services and equipment pricing and estimates;
- Financial proformas or any other financial data.
- Appointment To Solicit Customers
- Non-Exclusive Solicitation Appointment.
-
During the term of this Agreement, for those Company’s desiring to sell SolBid’s services,
SolBid grants the Company the non-exclusive right to solicit customers for the Services if
they so desire, including the right to use the Platform. The Company understands that
SolBid has software user agreements with more than one entity, that SolBid does not
provide the Company with exclusive rights to solicit customers for the Services or
use the Platform, and that two or more users of SolBid’s Services and Platform may
compete for the same work using the Services and Platform.
-
Under the appointment to solicit, SolBid allows a Company to share
Platform generated project cost estimates and proforma’s with commercial
and industrial real estate owning customers for projects located on their
customer’s owned properties without being in breach of section 7.2.
- Promotion and Marketing
- The Company is not under any obligation to market, advertise, promote, or sell SolBid's Services.
- If the Company decides to market, advertise, or promote, the Services, Company shall do so in a manner that reflects favorably on the Services, and the good name, goodwill, and reputation, of SolBid.
- Company shall submit all SolBid-related promotional and marketing materials that were not provided by SolBid to SolBid for approval prior to use, including any SolBid provided materials that are modified by the Company.
- Company shall observe all reasonable directions and instructions provided by SolBid in relation to the marketing, advertising, and promotion of the Services.
- Both the Company shall not make any materially misleading, or untrue, statements concerning the other SolBid or the Services.
- Both the Company shall promptly notify SolBid of any complaint or adverse claim about SolBid or the Services.s
- Company Sales Commissions
Shall the Company sell SolBid services to a Customer in return for a commission from SolBid, SolBid shall pay
Company as stated in this Section.
- Company Commission from SolBid Services
- In the event that the Company sells SolBid’s Services to a
Customer; and
- the sale is derived from a SolBid Approved proposal generated
in the Platform by the Company;
and
- the Customer of the Company executes the SolBid Purchase and
Services Agreement; and
- SolBid accepts the Customer executed SolBid Purchase and
Services Agreement; then
- SolBid shall pay the Company the commission amount, if any, as
added by Company to the
proposal in the Platform;
- following receipt of all customer project financing,
engineering, utility, and local
government approvals as necessary to complete SolBid’s Services; and
- following SolBid’s receipt of payment-in-full from the
Customer per the SolBid Services
agreement with the Customer; and
- The Company is, and has been, in material compliance
with the terms of this Agreement.
- SolBid shall pay the commission to the Company within
forty-five (45) days of the day on which
SolBid receives final payment under the relevant SolBid Purchase and Services
agreement.
- No Obligation to Agree Service Contract
The execution of a SolBid Purchase and Services agreement with any Customer is at SolBid’s sole
discretion.
- No commission shall be paid
For any SolBid Purchase and Services agreement executed directly between SolBid and the
Company. SolBid shall hold the Purchase and Services agreement with the Company for the amount,
less any commission or margin that the Company may have added to the proposal in the Platform.
SolBid does not provide or engage in kickbacks.
- Survival
SolBid’s obligation to pay a commission to the Company under this Section 5 shall survive the termination
or expiration of this Agreement for twenty four (24) months for any Commissions owed to Company by
SolBid before such termination or expiration, so long as the Company is still in existence and did not
substantially break the terms of this agreement.
- Limitation of Liability
- Waiver of Consequential Damages
Except with respect to damages solely from third party claims related to this Agreement, and damages that result from the willful misconduct of a Party, neither Party nor its directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, agents and employees subcontractors or suppliers shall be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, exemplary, or consequential loss or damage of any nature arising out of their performance or non-performance of their obligations under this Agreement, even if advised of such.
- SolBid
The maximum liability of SolBid to Company arising out of, under, or in connection with this Agreement, and any agreement executed or contemplated to be executed with this Agreement, or any course of conduct, course of dealings, statements (verbal or written), or actions of any Party to this Agreement is the total amount of the fees stated in Exhibit A paid by Company to SolBid in the twelve month period preceding the event giving rise to the claim and any commissions owed under Section 9.
- Company
The maximum liability of Company to SolBid arising out of, under, or in connection with this Agreement, and any agreement executed or contemplated to be executed with this Agreement, or any course of conduct, course of dealings, statements (verbal or written), or actions of any Party to this Agreement are the greater of:
- the amount due to SolBid for SolBid Services per section 6, or
- $10,000.00
- Exceptions
This Section 10 shall not apply to damages from a Party’s fraud, gross negligence, or willful breach of this Agreement, or any related agreement between the Parties.
-
Information and Confidential Information
-
Confidential Information
- During the term of this Agreement the Parties may need to disclose information, including confidential information, to each other. This information may include, but is not limited to, trade secrets, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications, drawings, maps, blueprints, diagrams, flow, and other technical, financial, or business information. Such information, which may be provided in written, encoded, graphic, or other tangible, form shall be deemed to be confidential and proprietary “Confidential Information” if it is marked confidential, so identified by the disclosing Party at the time of disclosure, or by its nature a reasonable person would consider confidential. Confidential Information shall be held in confidence by the recipient Party and used only for the provision of the Services, or otherwise in the performance of this Agreement. All information related to the design and operation of the Platform, and all software provided by SolBid, is Confidential Information.
- Each Party shall keep the other Party’s confidential information in trust and confidence and will not disclose the confidential information to any person or entity without the prior written consent of the Party disclosing the confidential information, or as necessary to perform this Agreement.
- Exceptions
The obligation of non-disclosure and confidentiality shall not apply to any Confidential Information:
- previously known to either Party free of any obligation to keep it confidential; or
- that has been, or which becomes, publicly known, through no wrongful act of either Party; or
- which is rightfully received from a third party who is under no obligation of confidence to either Party; or
- which is independently developed by the recipient Party without resort to the Confidential Information that has been disclosed pursuant to this Agreement; or
- is required to be disclosed to comply with applicable law or regulation (including without limitation, securities law purposes) or with any requirement imposed by judicial or administrative process, or any governmental or court order.
- However, Confidential Information disclosed as per Section 11.2.5 shall be disclosed only to the extent required, and if the recipient Party in each such instance, and before making such disclosure, first:
- promptly notifies the other Party of a required disclosure, or upon receipt of a governmental or court order, and
- cooperates with the other Party in making, if available under applicable law, a good faith effort to obtain a protective order, or other appropriate determination, against or limiting disclosure, or use, of the Confidential Information, and at no cost to the recipient Party.
- No Reverse Engineering
A receiving Party shall not modify, reverse engineer, decompile, create other works from
or disassemble any software programs contained in the Confidential Information of a disclosing Party unless permitted in writing by that disclosing Party. In particular, The Company shall not modify, reverse engineer, decompile, copy, create other works from, or disassemble any software provided by SolBid, the Platform, or the Services.
- No Warranty
Except as expressly agreed between the Parties, neither Party makes any representations or warranties as to the information they share, including its accuracy, and to the maximum extent permitted by law disclaims any implied warranties, such as merchantability or suitability for a particular purpose.
- Ownership
Information disclosed by a Party under this Agreement shall remain the property of the disclosing Party. In particular, any design, proposal, or marketing materials obtained from the Platform or provided by SolBid are the property of SolBid.
- Survival
Each Party’s obligations under this Section 7 shall survive for a period of two (2) years from the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
- Term and Termination
The initial term of this Agreement is twelve (12) months from the Effective Date. It shall renew on an annual basis unless one Party delivers a written non-renewal notice to the other Party before the end of the term. This Agreement may be terminated by either Party upon written notice to the other Party, and by SolBid immediately if the Company has any outstanding fees per section 5.
- Independent Contractor
Company is an independent contractor, and nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to make Company an employee of SolBid, or the Parties to be partners, joint venturers, co-owners or otherwise as participants in a joint or common undertaking.
- Miscellaneous
- Changes to Agreement
This Agreement contains the sole and entire agreement between the Parties related to its subject matter. This Agreement may only be modified in writing executed by both Parties. Should any provision of this Agreement be deemed illegal or otherwise unenforceable, that provision shall be severed and the remainder of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
- Notices
- Each Party consents to receive all notices, requests, or statements required by this Agreement via email.
- Notice by email will be deemed to have been received when such e-mail is acknowledged by the recipient. Automated receipt responses generated by the recipient’s email system do not constitute receipt of such notice.
- If either Party fails to promptly acknowledge such email notification then Notice may be affected via Certified U.S. Mail, return receipt requested, or via hand delivery, or courier. Such Notice shall be effective five (5) days after mailing, if mailed, or on date of delivery if via hand delivery. Delivery shall be addressed to the addresses found on the signature page of this agreement, unless there has been a change in address by one of the parties and they have provided written notice.
- Legal - Governing Law and Jurisdiction
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of laws and provisions. In the event any action is brought to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Parties agree to exclusive in personam jurisdiction in the Superior Court for Suffolk County, Massachusetts, or in the United States District Court of Massachusetts, and agree that in any such action, venue shall be exclusively with those courts.
- JURY TRIAL WAIVER
EACH PARTY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY AGREEMENT EXECUTED OR CONTEMPLATED TO BE EXECUTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENTS (VERBAL OR WRITTEN) OR ACTIONS OF ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT. THIS PROVISION IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO EACH OF THE PARTIES FOR ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT.
- Injunctive Relief
The Parties agree that remedies at law may be inadequate to protect against any actual or threatened breach of this Agreement. In the event of any breach or threatened breach, either party shall have the right to apply for the entry of an immediate order to restrain or enjoin the breach and otherwise specifically to enforce the provisions of this Agreement in any court of competent jurisdiction, worldwide, over a Party or a Party’s assets. The Parties further waive any requirement that any Party furnish any bond or other security, and agree that to the extent a bond is required by law, it shall be one hundred dollars ($100.)
- Integration
This Agreement is the complete agreement between the Parties regarding its subject matter, and
supersedes any earlier agreements or oral or written understandings between the Parties.
- Electronic Acceptance
- By clicking “Accept” or “Approve” on the electronic SolBid Software Use Registration form, the Company is performing it’s electronic submission, which shall constitute a valid and binding mark, with the same force and effect as a physically signed original, Company agrees, acknowledges and consents to the terms of this Agreement and to the electronic delivery and acceptance thereof and all exhibits, documents, notices, updates, addenda and amendments related thereto, as well as any other documents to be delivered by SolBid during the Term of this Agreement. Company understands that it will need a valid e-mail address and access to the Internet, as well as the appropriate software and/or programs in order to access this Agreement electronically. or;
- By any user of the Company clicking “Login” on the SolBid website to gain access to the software, the Company is performing it’s electronic submission, which shall constitute a valid and binding mark, with the same force and effect as a physically signed original, Company agrees, acknowledges and consents to the terms of this Agreement and to the electronic delivery and acceptance thereof and all exhibits, documents, notices, updates, addenda and amendments related thereto, as well as any other documents to be delivered by SolBid during the Term of this Agreement. Company understands that it will need a valid e-mail address and access to the Internet, as well as the appropriate software and/or programs in order to access this Agreement electronically.